Science Inquiry Skills - Stage 2 Psychology

Validity

The extent to which a test measures or predicts what it is supposed to.

Objective Quantitative

Numerical data based on measurements of a participant's response that can be directly observed and verified by the researcher.

Sample

The small group of participants, out of the total number available, that a researcher studies.

Relationship

An association between two or more variables.

Observational

A research design in which the researcher collects quantitative data based on pre-existing criteria or variables.

Ethics

The system of moral principles and rules that becomes standards for professional conduct.

Experimental

The method design to explore cause and effect with manipulation or one or more factors (independent variables) and using random assignment.

Extraneous Variable

A variable that confuses the association between the independent and dependent variables and thus needs to be restricted either within the research design or through statistic procedures

Independent Variable

The experimental factor that is manipulated; the variable whose effect is being studied

Population

All the cases in a group, from which samples may be drawn for a study

Control Group

The group that does not receive the experimental treatment.

Normal Distribution

Approximate distribution of scores expected when a sample is taken from a large population, drawn as a frequency polygon that often takes the form of a bell-shaped curve, called the normal curve

Median

The middle number in a set of numbers that are listed in order.

Dependent Variable

The outcome factor; the variable that may change in response to manipulations of the independent variable.

Reliability

The ability of a test to give the same results under similar conditions

Debriefing

A procedure to inform participants about the true nature of an experiment after its completion.

Qualitative

Not having to do with numbers.

Standard Deviation

A computed measure of how much scores vary around the mean score.

Mean

An average of x numbers computed by adding some function of the numbers and dividing by some function of x

Range

The difference between the highest and lowest scores in a distribution

Hypothesis

A prediction about behavior that is tested through scientific research

Subjective Quantitative

Numerical data determined by the research participants that the researcher cannot directly verify and therefore cannot be certain of its accuracy.